Picking the Best iPad to Buy in 2025

[NickName99]

I received my iPad Mini on Wednesday, it’s awesome. The laminated P3 TrueTone screen is great. The A12 is very speedy. The other iPads are too big, I wouldn’t want to lug them around anywhere, this is the one I’ve been waiting for - my first iPad!
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I'm still waiting to hear if the iPad mini 5 offers HDR video playback, as the iPhone 8 (and later) and iPad Pro do.

I’ll have to check mine when I get home. If it doesn’t already have it, I bet it will be enabled with a Netflix app update.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

The list of differences between the Air 3 and 2017 Pro 10.5", which in my opinion are so significant that I'm leaning towards the latter when I replace my Air later this year, are as follows:
* The Air 3's CPU (A12) is 20% faster than that of the Pro 10.5" (A10X) as per Geekbench 4 scores
* The Pro 10.5" has 1GB more RAM which may mean that Apple might give it some features it doesn't the Air 3 in future versions of iOS
* The Pro 10.5" has a 120Hz ProMotion display while the Air 3 has a 60Hz display. This, in my opinion, is a major feature as it makes the overall experience much smoother
* The Pro 10.5" has quad speakers as opposed to stereo ones on the Air 3
* The Pro 10.5" has a 12MP camera w/ flash; the Air 3 has an 8MP one

For me performance is by far the most important factor. I don't use my iPad camera. In my limited experience of playing around with iPads in the Apple store I coudln't really tell/care about any difference due to 120hz ProMotion. The quad speakers are nice but not a necessity.

Performance will impact your experience every moment you use the device, and also increase the longevity. Which brings me back to my original question. I'm curious how the 20% performance boost will compare to a 1GB RAM decrease.... In all honestly this is probably a tossup, in which case all the benefits of the 10.5 pro would become more important.

 

[realtuner]

What is a pro level user on an iPad and how do I know if I am one or not?

You know the old saying: If you have to ask....

 

[Joniz]

I received my iPad Mini on Wednesday, it’s awesome.

I hate you.

 

[kcslc]

I have a first gen 9.7” iPad Pro. And. Well. I hate it. It’s too big. I bought the Apple Pencil because it was novel and thought I could find a cool app that would teach me how to draw. I found none (I’m utterly disappointed this was not available... I wonder if one is now...) The past year or so, I’ve also noticed Touch ID on the thing is failing big time. It will recognize my fingerprints for a day after I register them, but then tomorrow, in Drew Barrymore fashion, it’s like it’s never seen my fingers before.

I ordered a new iPad mini 5 (space gray, 256 GB) the day they were announced. I’ve been waiting for this bad boy! With the news it was sporting the same design (a win for me, I don’t know why everybody is turning their noses up at bezels) and an A12 sealed the deal.

It arrived yesterday and it’s perfect. Touch ID is snappy (I still think it’s gen 1 though, shamefully). The UI is fast and responsive. I love it.

 

[Act3]

For me performance is by far the most important factor. I don't use my iPad camera. In my limited experience of playing around with iPads in the Apple store I coudln't really tell/care about any difference due to 120hz ProMotion. The quad speakers are nice but not a necessity.

Performance will impact your experience every moment you use the device, and also increase the longevity. Which brings me back to my original question. I'm curious how the 20% performance boost will compare to a 1GB RAM decrease.... In all honestly this is probably a tossup, in which case all the benefits of the 10.5 pro would become more important.

Also have to figure in that the GPU on the a10x is faster than the A12 GPU on metal benchmarks

 

[NickName99]

I have a first gen 9.7” iPad Pro. And. Well. I hate it. It’s too big. I bought the Apple Pencil because it was novel and thought I could find a cool app that would teach me how to draw. I found none (I’m utterly disappointed this was not available... I wonder if one is now...) The past year or so, I’ve also noticed Touch ID on the thing is failing big time. It will recognize my fingerprints for a day after I register them, but then tomorrow, in Drew Barrymore fashion, it’s like it’s never seen my fingers before.

I ordered a new iPad mini 5 (space gray, 256 GB) the day they were announced. I’ve been waiting for this bad boy! With the news it was sporting the same design (a win for me, I don’t know why everybody is turning their noses up at bezels) and an A12 sealed the deal.

It arrived yesterday and it’s perfect. Touch ID is snappy (I still think it’s gen 1 though, shamefully). The UI is fast and responsive. I love it.

I got mine Wednesday, and the TouchId is just about instant. I think it’s the 2nd gen - I remember the first gen being much slower. It isn’t the haptic home button of the iPhone 7/8, but the TouchID seems way too quick to be 1st generation. I remember going from iPhone 6 to iPhone 6S, the TouchID was startlingly fast - this feels the same way.

 

[profets]

I'm still waiting to hear if the iPad mini 5 offers HDR video playback, as the iPhone 8 (and later) and iPad Pro do.

Weirdly iPad Pro 10.5” mentions HDR-10 support/playback in the tech specs but the 11” and 12.9” don’t.

In 2017 when the then new iPad Pro (12.9/10.5) and iPhone 8 launched, they were listed as having HDR playback. But since then I think apple has quietly reversed that verbiage for any of these devices that have LCD displays.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Easy. A maxed out 12.9" is the best.

 

[Warhawk15]

Just bought a refurbished iPad Pro 10.5” 512 gig for a little under $500.

I’d say that’s the best for 2019 and a few more years.

 

[anachronid]

I’m definitely considering these differences when I’m finally willing to put my Air 2 to rest.

Here in the UK, the new Air 2019 with 256gb will cost £620, when available early next week. The Pro 2017, which I have just bought refurbished direct from Apple with same storage, cost £530.

The Pro arrived beautifully packaged, indistinguishable from brand new (no marks of any sort, the same protective film, new cables, etc). So an easy choice for me, I'm keeping the Pro.

 

[NickName99]

Just bought a refurbished iPad Pro 10.5” 512 gig for a little under $500.

I’d say that’s the best for 2019 and a few more years.

Nice, I would have gone the same way if I was looking for a full size iPad. The 120hz display looks awesome.

 

[iGeek2014]

Here in the UK, the new Air 2019 with 256gb will cost £620, when available early next week. The Pro 2017, which I have just bought refurbished direct from Apple with same storage, cost £530.

The Pro arrived beautifully packaged, indistinguishable from brand new (no marks of any sort, the same protective film, new cables, etc). So an easy choice for me, I'm keeping the Pro.

Plus you get Optical Image Stabilisation with the rear facing camera; unlike the new Pro line up.

 

[Pman17]

Easy, wait for this year’s iPad Pro that doesn’t bend or have obvious weak points such as the microphone placement.

 

[djlythium]

Except you forgot to add a killer feature of the 2018 iPPs: the awesome equal-bezel, flat-sided, thin design!

Holding only content in your hands, with no other features to remind you that you’re holding a device, is an exceptional achievement.

 

[Rovank]

@Rorosbutt, on my Telus (Canadian) plan I pay $5 a month whether I use data or not. Once I exceed a certain limited amount of data I'm charged extra (in tiers). It's easy enough to turn the iPad cell feature on and off so data charges only accrue when I need to use data.

 

[Rorosbutt]

@Rorosbutt, on my Telus (Canadian) plan I pay $5 a month whether I use data or not. Once I exceed a certain limited amount of data I'm charged extra (in tiers). It's easy enough to turn the iPad cell feature on and off so data charges only accrue when I need to use data.

Thanks! I don’t want to pay every month bc I won’t need it that often but I’ll have to look into that with AT&T US! Might be worth it.

 

[mixel]

I have a first gen 9.7” iPad Pro. And. Well. I hate it. It’s too big. I bought the Apple Pencil because it was novel and thought I could find a cool app that would teach me how to draw. I found none (I’m utterly disappointed this was not available... I wonder if one is now...) The past year or so, I’ve also noticed Touch ID on the thing is failing big time. It will recognize my fingerprints for a day after I register them, but then tomorrow, in Drew Barrymore fashion, it’s like it’s never seen my fingers before.

I ordered a new iPad mini 5 (space gray, 256 GB) the day they were announced. I’ve been waiting for this bad boy! With the news it was sporting the same design (a win for me, I don’t know why everybody is turning their noses up at bezels) and an A12 sealed the deal.

It arrived yesterday and it’s perfect. Touch ID is snappy (I still think it’s gen 1 though, shamefully). The UI is fast and responsive. I love it.

I’ve never had any issues with touchID on my first gen iPad Pro 9.7.. Hopefully mine doesn’t start playing up.

And too big? That’s interesting, most people I know think it’s too small. If you wanted to learn drawing on something you probably don’t want something tiny.

Best way to learn to draw is with Udemy courses and YouTube, no app will do it, as the art apps themselves are the important thing, so an app that teaches you would be reinventing the wheel. There are loads of really good courses that work well for iPad illustration.
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Except you forgot to add a killer feature of the 2018 iPPs: the awesome equal-bezel, flat-sided, thin design!

Holding only content in your hands, with no other features to remind you that you’re holding a device, is an exceptional achievement.

It’s an exceptional achievement but in reality you spend zero time aware of the bezel anyway when it’s in use. Brain filters out the surroundings when in use.

I think they missed the 4 speakers / 2 speakers thing though, that’s a much bigger difference between the Pros and the low end models people keep overlooking.

 

[alexhardaker]

I'm firmly in the camp of "this is the best range of iPads ever." There were many messy years, but finally the dust has settled and it starts to make sense. Hopefully Apple doesn't mess it up in the ensuing years.

Now time for Apple to fix the Macbook lineup....

This lineup is unnecessarily confusing, just like the Mac lineup. The simple naming and product options philosophy has long gone out of the window

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

This lineup is unnecessarily confusing, just like the Mac lineup. The simple naming and product options philosophy has long gone out of the window

Ehh... I’m not saying it couldn’t be cleaner in any way, but I think it’s actually pretty straightforward (and certainly the best it’s been in a long time). I think they should stick with this lineup and not try to screw it up any more.

-iPad, $329, budget iPad
-iPad mini, $399, small iPad
-iPad air, $499, the “standard” go-to iPad (the air moniker has meant this for over 5 years)
-iPad pro, 11”/12.9” $799/$999, powerful, for professional use

Apple could/should simplify the MacBook lineup in the same way. Give consistency across the lines. Here is what I hope happens over the next 1-2 years.

-MacBook, 13” $899 (this is a new design, similar to old MBA, with more budget specs/screen, etc)
-MacBook Mini, 12” $1,199 (this is the current MacBook, rebranded)
-MacBook Air, 13” $1,199
-MacBook Pro, 14”/16” $1,599/$2,399 (go full touchbar across the line... or eliminate it because the feature is dumb)

I’m also imagining that at least the MacBook (if not the MacBook mini and MacBook Air) move to A12X or something similar.

 

[Christian 5G]

Have 2018 iPad for University that I use and love it!! Especially paired with the Apple pen for the notes

 

[alexhardaker]

Ehh... I’m not saying it couldn’t be cleaner in any way, but I think it’s actually pretty straightforward (and certainly the best it’s been in a long time). I think they should stick with this lineup and not try to screw it up any more.

-iPad, $329, budget iPad
-iPad mini, $399, small iPad
-iPad air, $499, the “standard” go-to iPad (the air moniker has meant this for over 5 years)
-iPad pro, 11”/12.9” $799/$999, powerful, for professional use

Apple could/should simplify the MacBook lineup in the same way. Give consistency across the lines. Here is what I hope happens over the next 1-2 years.

-MacBook, 13” $899 (this is a new design, similar to old MBA, with more budget specs/screen, etc)
-MacBook Mini, 12” $1,199 (this is the current MacBook, rebranded)
-MacBook Air, 13” $1,199
-MacBook Pro, 14”/16” $1,599/$2,399 (go full touchbar across the line... or eliminate it because the feature is dumb)

I’m also imagining that at least the MacBook (if not the MacBook mini and MacBook Air) move to A12X or something similar.

That all sounds ridiculous

 

[Darth Tulhu]

The base iPad is the only one that I feel is truly worth the money. It does it all.

That said, I like that Apple is offering more choices, just not where I want them to.

If only they'd bring back a 17-inch, it wouldn't need to be "Pro" either.

The 12", 13", 15" MB/MBP spread is dumb, in my opinion.

13", 15", 17" was the best.

 

[brandiop]

Thanks to this informative discussion! It really helped me decide which Ipad to buy! I'm a frequent traveler and I love playing games while in a plane or in a train.

 

[walterg74]

The iPad line is now looking pretty good. Something for (nearly) everybody. But I expect that the 2018 iPad will not see an update and may even be discontinued by this time next year.

Way to predict, Nostradamus.. 🤣